What is "pregaming"

n. drink cheap alcohol at home before going out socially.

Pregaming (also pre-drinking or pre-loading) is the process of getting drunk prior to going out socializing, typically done by college students and young adults in the United States and Europe, in a manner as cost-efficient as possible, with hard liquor and cheap beer consumed while in small groups.

Although pregaming is typically done before a night out, it can also precede other activities, like attending a college football game, large party, social function, or another activity where possession of alcohol may be limited or prohibited. The name "pregaming" spread from the drinking that took place during tailgating before football games to encompass similar drinking periods.

Other terms for the practice are pre-partying, prinking and (in Europe) prefunking.